Elevator.



E. -SGHUGHARDT.

ELBVATQR. APPLICATION FILED APRS, 1908;

Patented'May 9, 1911.

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E. SGHUCHARDT.

ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AIRJ, 1908.

Pat-,611161111151 9, 1911.

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E. SCHUCHARDT.

ELEVATOR. APPLIUATIO'VN FILED Amm, 1908.

Patented .May 9, 1-911.

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EMIL SCHUCHARDT,

SATS

ELEVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May i), 1911.

Application filed April G, 1908. Serial No. 425,342.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL SoHUcHAnD'r, a citizen of the United States,residing at the borough of lf'ianhattan, in the city, county, and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElevators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in elevators, and it is one ofthe objects thereof to -provide a device of this character in which anendless fiexible column carries the elevator car and its counterweight,and moves in 'an endl-ess pathway, and in which cables and telescopic orother supporting pistons may be dispensed with. lVith this and otherobjects in view, the invention consists in certain constructions andcombinations which will be hereinafter fully described and thenspecifically pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of' this specificationand in which like characters of reference indicate the same parts,examples of my invention are disclosed.

Figure 1 is a side view of an example of the invention in which oneflexible column and one pathway therefor is shown, partly in section.Fig. 2, is a side view ot' an example of the invention in which twoflexible columns and two corresponding pathways are einployed. partly insection, the lower part a side view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3.Fig. 3, is a perspective front view of a portion of' the mechanism shownin Fig. 2. Fig. 4, is a top view of the elevator car of Figs. 2 and 3.Fig. a top view of the elevator car ofl Fig. 1. Fig. 6, is a view of theskeleton frame of the elevator of' Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a view of theoperating wheel and its supports and braces, partly in section. Fig. 8,is a section on the line, l1/-3/, of Fig. 7. Figs. 9 and 10, show adevice adapted for blocking the flexible column when it is desired toremove a member for repair or replacement. Fig. 11, is a view, partly insection, of one of the gates adapted to be used for repairs, with theexample shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 1Q, is a view, partly in section, of' oneof the gates adapted to be used for repairs, with the example shown inFig. Q. Details of parts of the invention are shown in Figs. 13, 14, 15,16, 17 and 18,

In carrying the invention into eifect, the parts are to be securedfirmly in place and to each other in any convenient manner. This may besatisfactorily done by providing a suitable foundation to which thebottom portions are rigidly secured, as by bolts, 1, 1. Strong columns,2, conveniently constructed of steel, are secured in place, as may bedone by suitable angle pi-eces, 3, at the foot and braced by strongcross pieces, 4, 4, at the top, which are spaced wide enough to allowthe journals of' the rollers to pass between them. Within the spaceinclosed by the columns, 2, the lower portion, 5, of the endless pathwayis disposed. This portion, 5, may be a casting or other strong structurestraight or fiat at the bottom and concave at the top, and having a rimon each side of its concave face, as clearly shown at 5 in Fig. 8. Asemicircular casting, 6, presenting its convex face toward the support,5, spaced to permitthe rollers to pass between the parts 5 and 6, issecured in lplace at a suitable distance fromthe part., .3, and theconvex face of the part, 6, is also provided with a rim on each side, asclearly shown at 6 in Fig. 8. A brace piece, 7, on its lower edge ofsemicircnlar form, rests upon the part, 6, and is secured theretothrough a shoulder and bolts, as indicated in Fig. 7. This brace piece,7, is also provided with shoulders at each end, as indicated in Figs. 7and 8, and bolts, S, S.

Upon the top outer edges of the part 5, and firmly bolted in place tothe columns, 2, 2, rests the outer continuation of the endless pathwaypieces, 9, 10; and bolted to the outer edge of' the piece, 7, rests theinner continuation of the endless pathway pieces, 11, 12. Thesecontinuations consist of strong angulai- U-shaped parts ot suitablematerial, which are furthermore held in place and braced by the anglepieces, 13, 13, on the cross beams, 4, 4; and these continuations of thepathway are braced at such points of their entire length as may benecessary by suitable holding devices as the angles, 14, 14, shown inFigs. 2, 4, and 5.

Within the circular cavity formed between the pieces G and 7, as shownin Figs. 7 and 8, is disposed a circular portion, 15, and to this partsprocket wheels, 16 and 17, are firmly secured, as by bolts, 18, passingthrough this central portion, 15, and the sprocket wheels 16 and 17.rlChese sprocket wheels 16, 17, are also to be made ot very strongmaterials, as by means ot' them the device is to be operated. Throughthe sprocket wheels, 16 and 17, and the interior piece, 15, a steelshaft, 19, is passed, and is strongly keyed or o-therwise attachedthereto. The shaft, 19, is suitably supported for the work required, asby pillow blocks, 20, 21, shown in Fig. 3. :it a suitable point on suchshaft, 19, as in the center, between the pillow blocks, 20 and 21, shownin Fig. 3, a suitable worm or spur gearing is attached to such shaft,19, or keyed thereto, by which the power to operate the device is to beapplied. This may be ot any of t-he well known devices, and such mayalso be employed for starting and stopping the movement of theelevators.

In the case ot' the application ot' the inveir tion to a single endlesscolumn and a singie endless pathway, as in the example shown in Fig. 1,one of the sets oi sprocket wheels, 16, 17, would of course be omitted,as tor instance, that shown near the pillow lblock 20, in Fig. 8, and ashorter shaft than 19 would be employed, the pillow block, 20, beingthen moved to a position corresponding to that of the set oi sprocketwheels in the drawing shown nearest thereto. The endless pathway iscarried to any height desired in the building and at suitable positionson the walls ot' the building or on the floor beams or other suitablepoints it is lirmly secured, as by suitable angles and bolts, asindicated at 14 in the several tigures. The upper part vot each pathway.is finished by av semicircular portion, an ex` terior part, 22, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, and an interior portion, Q3, in the sameiigures, the uprights and semicircular parts being connected by suitableangles and bolts, Q4, as shown. In the endless pathway thus termed, anendless flexible column is ranged to be moved. This column .may beconveniently formed oi a set of rollers, 25, and a set ot' parts, 26,which I call saddles, interposed between the rollers, Q5. The saddles,26, may be formed ot solid steel, as shown in Fig. 13, with concaveparts, to take in the body of the rollers, rlthese rollers may also betermed of solid steel, as shown in Fig. 14, with a journal, 27, of thesame metal, projecting at each end. Around the ends of these journals,27, friction sleeves, 9.9, 28,1nay be placed, secured in place by pins,29.

If desired, for the purpose of levitation, and in light structures, therollers may be made of two steel exterior parts or rings, 30, 30, shrunkon to the journal, 27, as shown in Fig. 1G, and a central portion, 31,of wood or other lighter material, and the saddles n'iay be formedcorresponding with exterior parts, 32, 32, and a central part, 83, asshown in perspective in Fig. 17, and side view in Fig. 18. Likewise, thesaddles may be termed of two steel parts, 34, held in position by strongbrace parts, 3o, 35, as shown in Fig. 15. S0 the bearing parts, 30, 30,ot' the rings on the rollers may be formed with concave rims, and thecorresponding bearing parts of the saddles may be terminated with convextace, as indicated in Figs. 15 and 1G. These rollers and saddles areplaced in the endless pathway, and the adjustment is such thatY thejournals of the rollers will enter the sprocket wheels, 16, 17, asclearly indicated in the drawings and 'form an endless column oit steelwhich is `tlexible.

At suitable positions in the endless column proper trames to receive theelevator cars and the counterweight therefor are to be provided. Thesemay consist ot two horizontally disposed parts, 40 and 41, and twovertical parts, 42, 43, forming a trame, and in this frame a suitableelevator car is to be disposed and secured in any convenient manner, asindicated in Figs. 1, Qv and 3. ln the column, or in the columns, whentwo are to bel employed, opposite the elevator trame, a similar steelframe, consisting of like horizontal and vert-ical parts is interposed(the two horizontal portions oil this trame being shown in Fig. Q, as 45and 4G), in which a suitable counterweight, 47, to the elevator car, isto be secured.

Then the elevator car and its counterweight are properly placed, ascontemplated and described, the weight or' the elevator car on one side,and the counterweight on the other side, the flexible column or columns,as the case may be, the two will exactly balance each other, and then,power being applied to the shaft, 19, between the two sets of doublesprocket wheels, as shown in Fig. 3, the elevator car will be inposition to be raised and lowered as described, the power necessarybeing only so much as will be sufficient to raise and .suspend theweight introduced into the car.

llVhen it is intended to use two flexible columns, as indicated in 2 and3, an ordinary steel or other strong trame of the parts, 40, 41, 42 and43, will be all that is necessary to receive the elevator ear, which maybe suspended on the top cross piece, 40. and secured to the lower crosspiece, 41. and

the side pieces, 42 and 43, in any convenient l and 'well known manner.@t course it will be understood that the uprights holding the crosspieces, 40 and 41, of the elevator t a1ne, and the uprights formingparts of the counterweight trame must be of suficient strength tosupport the weight of the column above them at every position in theoperation of the device.

ln case only one endless pathway and one flexible column is to beemployed, a special arrangement of frame to support vthe elevatortherein will be desirable. I have shown such an arrangement of frame inFigs. 5 and 6. In this arrangement t-he cross pieces, 040 and O41, areeach provided with an expanded part, 36, which fit substantially theopening occupied by the rollers, 25. On each side of the interior ofthis pathway also, uprights, 37, 37, are disposed in the endless pathwayformed by the parts, 9, and 11, as shown in Fig. 5, which are firmlysecured to the cross pieces, 040, 041, and in the pockets formed in theuprights, B7, 37 at the top and bottom, friction wheels, 38, aredisposed, to bear against the inner faces of the pieces forming theendless pathway. Suitable brace parts, 89, to support and inclose theelevator car are provided.

For the purpose of making' repairs to the parts, the endless column isprovided with gates at suitable points. Some of these gates consist ofparts, 48, 48, shown in side view in Figs. 1 and 2, and in section inFig. 11. The parts, 48, 48, consist of angles of the same width as theportion of the pathway cut away, and of substantially the same thicknessas the side of the pathway, and they are removably attached in theirproper places by the bolts, 49, 49. For the purpose of repairs, thecolumn is run to the point where the part to be repaired is opposite thegate, the portion of the column above such part is suitably blocked, thegates are opened, and the part to be removed is drawn out. The width ofthese gate parts corresponds to the thickness of the roller, 25, or ofthe saddle, 26, whichever requires the larger opening, so that eithermay be withdrawn.

At the upper portion of the pathway, on the seniicircular part, 22,another forni of gate may be provided. This may consist of asemicircular part, 50, with a shoulder, 51, of the size and shape of therim at that point, so that when the part, 49, is taken out the upper rimon one side of the pathway will be open to the width of the part, 51, asindicated in Figs. 1 and 2. The part, 50, is secured in place by bolts,52, as shown and suggested in Figs. 2 and 12. On the lower portion, 23,of the upper semicircular pathway, another gate, which has a removablepart of the rim opposite the removable part, 51, is disposed, so thatwhen these parts, 51 and 53, are removed, one side of the pathway willbe open to the extent of allowing one of the parts forming the ilexiblecolumn to be withdrawn when desired.

It is to be observed that by the arrangement indicated the endlesspathway will remain inclosed, when the gates are opened for repairs,except for so much of the rim on one side as will allow one part at atime to be withdrawn endwise.

A convenient device for blocking the column for repairs at the sides isshown in Figs. 9 and 10. Two strong metal plates, 54, 54, are provided,each of which may have a notch, 55, and a circular openin', 5G, of asize and spaced to take in journzs 27 of the endless column. The parts,54, 54, have shoulders, 57, 57, which take in strong bars, 58, 58, screwthreaded at one end to enter nuts, 59, 59, and these nuts rest uponcross pieces, GO, which in turn may be placed upon the cross beams, 4,4.

When repair work is to be undertaken, the flexible column is run to thepoint which will place the part to be repaired opposite the repair gateparts, 48, 48, as shown in Figs. 1, 2. The parts, 54, 54, are thenplaced in position to take in the journals, 27, 27, of the two rollers,25, above the part to be withdrawn, and are secured tocach other bybolts, 61, holding the parts securely in position; the repair gates, 48,48, are then unscrewed and removed, so that the ends of the rollers willface the repairer, as indicated in Fig. 9. The'part to be removed isthen drawn out toward the repairer, and the portion of the flexiblecolumn above suoli part is supported in place by the frame pieces, 54,54.

I have not shown any device for starting or stopping the elevatormovements, for taking oli' the shock of rigidity of the elevator car,which is usually done by strong springs under the iioor of the elevatorcar, or for applying power to the shaft 19, as these do not form anypart of my present invention, and they may consist of any of the devicesnow in use for such purposes, and I do not limit myself to theapplication of any particular devices for such purposes, and I do notlimit myself to any particular form of parts designed to constitute theendless {ilexible column, or the endless pathway, as these may all bevaried; for example, the rollers, 25, may be made melon shape and thesaddles, 26, adjusted thereto, so the endless pathway may b-e made ofsteel angle parts in cross section formed so as to receive ring portionssimilar to those shown at 30, Fig. 16, and having a journal passingthrough the center, such journal rounded at the ends, extending beyondthe ring parts and moving in grooves in the sides of the pathway, orsuch journals may be shortened, and instead ot having rounded ends,could be formed with concave ends to take in balls for bearing againstthe pathway. In such case also the endless pathway may be inclosed onthree sides and partially on the fourth side leaving an opening in themiddle; in such i arrangement only one sprocket wheel will be needed,instead of a pair of such wheels,

the same being adjusted to take in the journal in the middle between thering parts; and in such an arrangement saddles' may be employed, or maybe omitted, as desircd; and other' forms of endless pathways and endlessflexible columns may be devised, without departing from my invention;but

Havingthus described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

l. An elevator mechanism including an endless pathway having a circularportion at its lower extremity and a circular portion at its upperextremity, an endless flexible column adapted to move therein, anelevator car and counterweight for the same interposed in such flexiblecolumn, such flexible column coi'nprising rollers having journalsprojecting laterally beyond such pathway, in combination with a sprocketwheel adapted to take in such projecting journals, substantially asdescribed and shown.

' 2, In an elevator mechanism. an endless pathway provided with acircular portion at its upper and also at its lower part, an endlessflexible column adapted to move in such pathway and to be supported uponthe lower circular portion of the saine, an elevator car and acounterweight for the elevator car disposed in such Vflexible column,such elevator car and counterweight adapted to support the part of suchflexible column which moves along,` the upper circular portion of suchpathway, substantially as described and shown.

3. In an elevator mechanism. an endless pathway, an endless flexiblecolumn adapted to move therein, an elevator car, a counterweight for theelevator car, both adapte-d to be upheld from beneath by such flexiblecolumn, the upper part of such flexible column adapted to be upheld frombeneath by such elevator car and counterweight, sub stantially describedand shown.

el. ln an elevator mechanism. an elevator car, a movable. support forthe same inclut inn' an endless flexible column composed of rollersprovided with projecting journals`r a series of parts having' concavefaces inter* posed between such rollers. in con'ibination with anendless pathway adapted to take in such rollers, and having open sidesthrough which pass the journals of the same. substantially as describedand shown,

ln an elevator mechanism, an endless flexible column consistingy of aseries of rollers provided with projecting' journals and a series ofparts having concave faces interposed between such rollers. incombination with an endless pathway adapted to permit the journals of'the rollers to project beyond the same, and including` a lower circularportion adapted to support such flexible column, substantially asdescribed and shown.

6. ln an elevator mechanism, an endless 'pathway formed of suitablematerial, provided with a circular portion at its upper extremity and acircular portion at its lower extremity, in combination with a flexiblecolumn consisting,- of a series of rollers having journals projectingbeyond such endless pathway, and a .series of parts with concave facesinterposed between such rollers, substantially as described and shown.

7. In an elevator device such as described, an endless pathway with acircular portion at its lower extremity, rollers adapted to move uponthe same, such rollers having projecting' parts or join-nuls, incombination with suitable sprocket wheels adapted to operate therein, totake in the journals or projecting parts ol such rollers and drive thesame, substantially as described and shown.

8. In an elevator device such as described a flexible column formedalternately of parts having concave faces, and of rollers provided withjournals and 'friction sleeves thereon taking` into such concave partsand projecting laterally beyond the same, substantially as described andshown.

9. ln an elevator mechanism, an endless pathway and an endless flexiblecolumn disposed within the same, such flexible. column including aseries of rollers provided with journals projecting laterally7 beyondsuch endless pathway and adapted to engage with suitable mechanism tooperate the flexible column, substantially as described and shown.

l0. ln an elevator mechanism. an endless pathway open at the sides. aflexible column comprising` a series of rollers havingjournals adaptedto project through the open sides of such pathway, in combination with aseries of parts provided with concave faces interposed between suchrollers, substantially as described and shown.

1l. ln an elevator mechanism, an endless flexible column, consistingofparts adapted to move along an endless pathway, an endless pathwayconsisting` of two parts each having two shoulders on opposite sides.and having` portions of the shoulders on one side thereof out away atsuitable points adapted to permit the insertion and withdrawal otportions of the flexible column, and angle pieces adapted to close thecut away portions of the pathway, substantially as described and shown.

1Q. ln an ele 'f'ator mechanism, an endless pathway Iand an endlessflexible column adapted to move along the same, such endless pathwayprovided with `rates through which portions of' such endless column maybe withdrawn, such endless column provided with parts prtrjecting beyondsuch pathway, in combination with suitable blocking1 devices adapted toengage with such projecting parts and support such endless column abovethe gates, substantially as described and shown.

13. In an elevator mechanism, an endless flexible column consisting of aseries of rollers provided with projecting, journals, a series of partshaving concave faces interposed between the rollers, an elevator car anda counterweight for the same interposed in such flexible column, and asuitable endless pathway adapted to support such flexible column,substantially as described and shown.

let. An elevator device comprising the combination of endless pathways,endless flexible columns moving along such pathways, an elevator carsuitably disposed at a point in such flexible columns, together with acountervveight for such elevator car disposed in such flexible columnsat a proper point relative to suc-h elevator car, substantially asdescribed and shown.

EMIL SCHUCHARDT. Vitnesses:

ANNA BUGHNER, BENJAMIN H. NEWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

